'His journey was short but his purpose on this earth was divine'
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EVERETT, Wash. -- What started as family hiking trip last weekend ending in tragedy when a 30-year-old Everett man died.
Now Randy Stupey's family is mourning his loss and sharing their memories of the outdoorsman.
Coming from a big family, hiking was how Randy and his big brother Ryan connected, and they went on countless hikes together over the years.
Last weekend's trip to the Cascade foothills east of Skykomish should have been just another adventure between brothers.
"We were going back to a lake we'd been at many times," Ryan said.
With a wife and two children, it wasn't always easy for Randy to find the time for the trips with is brother. His wife, Elene, said he looked forward to them.
"It was always really hard for them to get away, so when they could it was a big deal and he would plan for weeks in advance and he just loved it," she said.
For years, the brothers had talked about the day they'd be able to bring their own sons on the hiking trips, and Ryan's oldest son got his turn last weekend.
The family was hiking on an unmarked fishermen's trail that leads to Lake Simms when Ryan and his son became separated from Randy. Ryan said he and Randy had been calling out to each other throughout the hike, but at one point Randy stopped responding.
"We had never been separated before, but we were prepared for whatever," Ryan said.
Ryan got his son set up at camp and retraced his steps in hopes of finding his brother. He came across a spot he felt Randy had been.
"A mossy patch on this long beautiful rock, but I couldn't see the end," he said.
Something told him to stay back, so the next morning he and his son hiked to an area with cell service and called 911.
"By the time we got to Eagle Lake the helicopter was already circling over head," Ryan said.
Next he called the family, telling his father he had lost Randy. Then they waited. On Sunday they got word that Randy's body had been found in the very same area Ryan had spotted.
"It took every ounce of my body not to go out there, because everything led me to that, which probably did the same for him," Ryan said.
The family is now left with memories of an all-too short life.
"His journey was short but his purpose on this earth was divine," Elene said.
The family plans to hold a memorial service for Randy on Monday.
Now Randy Stupey's family is mourning his loss and sharing their memories of the outdoorsman.
Coming from a big family, hiking was how Randy and his big brother Ryan connected, and they went on countless hikes together over the years.
Last weekend's trip to the Cascade foothills east of Skykomish should have been just another adventure between brothers.
"We were going back to a lake we'd been at many times," Ryan said.
With a wife and two children, it wasn't always easy for Randy to find the time for the trips with is brother. His wife, Elene, said he looked forward to them.
"It was always really hard for them to get away, so when they could it was a big deal and he would plan for weeks in advance and he just loved it," she said.
For years, the brothers had talked about the day they'd be able to bring their own sons on the hiking trips, and Ryan's oldest son got his turn last weekend.
The family was hiking on an unmarked fishermen's trail that leads to Lake Simms when Ryan and his son became separated from Randy. Ryan said he and Randy had been calling out to each other throughout the hike, but at one point Randy stopped responding.
"We had never been separated before, but we were prepared for whatever," Ryan said.
Ryan got his son set up at camp and retraced his steps in hopes of finding his brother. He came across a spot he felt Randy had been.
"A mossy patch on this long beautiful rock, but I couldn't see the end," he said.
Something told him to stay back, so the next morning he and his son hiked to an area with cell service and called 911.
"By the time we got to Eagle Lake the helicopter was already circling over head," Ryan said.
Next he called the family, telling his father he had lost Randy. Then they waited. On Sunday they got word that Randy's body had been found in the very same area Ryan had spotted.
"It took every ounce of my body not to go out there, because everything led me to that, which probably did the same for him," Ryan said.
The family is now left with memories of an all-too short life.
"His journey was short but his purpose on this earth was divine," Elene said.
The family plans to hold a memorial service for Randy on Monday.
